Galen Memorial Hospital

Galen Memorial Hospital is the name of the hospital where Konner began his clinical work and is affiliated with the Flexner School of Medicine he attended. Galen II is a medical facility or branch of Galen located in the city's worst slum surrounded by half-burned-out neighborhoods. Galen II Emergency Room is a haven for the area's patients. Galen II's second floor obstetrics ward is named Simson 4. Galen also runs Sullivan Psychiatric Institute with its Burdick unit.

EMT (Emergency Medical Technician)

EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) is a term that denotes emergency medical personnel who transport injured or sick patients to hospital by ambulance.

Compensatory pause

"Compensatory pause" is the term used by Konner as a metaphor to describe the time spent writing this book. Medically the term actually refers to a brief rest in the heart cycle after "premature ventricular contraction," or a "missed heartbeat."